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Prescriptions.

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    #32
    bleg
    Registered Users Posts: 5,848 ✭✭✭bleg


    Some of the generic brands are more expensive than the branded ones!


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    #33
    Ihaveanopinion
    Registered Users Posts: 234 ✭✭Ihaveanopinion


    bleg wrote: »
    Some of the generic brands are more expensive than the branded ones!

    not quite true - a 'generic' drug means the chemical name of the drug - rather than a brand name. In other words an antibiotic like amoxicillin is manufactured by a number of companies and comes under names like Amoxil and Clonamox. If the doctor prescribes the drug under the generic (ie. chemical ) name 'Amoxicillin', the pharmicist then dispenses (or should dispense) the cheapest one.


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    #34
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,667 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    Ihaveanopinion wrote: »
    not quite true - a 'generic' drug means the chemical name of the drug - rather than a brand name. In other words an antibiotic like amoxicillin is manufactured by a number of companies and comes under names like Amoxil and Clonamox. If the doctor prescribes the drug under the generic (ie. chemical ) name 'Amoxicillin', the pharmicist then dispenses (or should dispense) the cheapest one.

    Not a correct reply at all, Bleg is completely right.
    A lot of branded drugs are now cheaper than the generics.Under Irish law if the generic version is prescribed the pharmacist id free to dispense whichever version they want not necessarily the cheapist.
    Ideally Irish Doctors should prescribe the cheapist branded version of the drug.


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    #35
    Ihaveanopinion
    Registered Users Posts: 234 ✭✭Ihaveanopinion


    RobFowl wrote: »
    Not a correct reply at all, Bleg is completely right.
    A lot of branded drugs are now cheaper than the generics.Under Irish law if the generic version is prescribed the pharmacist id free to dispense whichever version they want not necessarily the cheapist.
    Ideally Irish Doctors should prescribe the cheapist branded version of the drug.

    You misunderstand me. If the doctor prescribes the generic version - then the pharmacist is at liberty to dispense the cheapest version of the medication. If the doctor prescribes a brand name drug - then they have to prescribe that particular formulation of it. I would be very impressed if many doctors were able to keep up with current medication prices and which version is the cheapest.


    Therefore - if you use the generic name of the medication on the prescription, the pharmacist should be giving you the cheapest version of it.


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    #36
    bleg
    Registered Users Posts: 5,848 ✭✭✭bleg


    Yea but doctors don't usually use the generic name, they usually use a generic brand, like Ramilo or Amlid for ramipril and amlodipine respectively.

    Oh and there is a difference between the generic name and the branded generic name...


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    #37
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    bleg wrote: »
    Some of the generic brands are more expensive than the branded ones!
    Ihaveanopinion wrote: »
    not quite true ...
    RobFowl wrote: »
    Not a correct reply at all, Bleg is completely right...
    Ihaveanopinion wrote: »
    You misunderstand me...

    I think you are the one doing the misunderstanding here.

    Bleg's statement was not only 100% correct, but also easily verifiable.
    There's a very special kind of arrogance involved when someone says "Not quite true" to such a statement and then "You misunderstand me" when they're pulled up on it.

    Would you not just have the balls to hold up your hand and say "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you"?

    You are at the bottom of a deep hole. Stop digging.


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    #38
    macadam
    Registered Users Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭macadam


    locum-motion wrote: »
    I think you are the one doing the misunderstanding here.

    Bleg's statement was not only 100% correct, but also easily verifiable.
    There's a very special kind of arrogance involved when someone says "Not quite true" to such a statement and then "You misunderstand me" when they're pulled up on it.

    Would you not just have the balls to hold up your hand and say "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you"?

    You are at the bottom of a deep hole. Stop digging.
    Easy...............


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    #39
    ORLY?
    Closed Accounts Posts: 265 ✭✭ORLY?


    Ihaveanopinion wrote: »
    not quite true - a 'generic' drug means the chemical name of the drug - rather than a brand name. In other words an antibiotic like amoxicillin is manufactured by a number of companies and comes under names like Amoxil and Clonamox. If the doctor prescribes the drug under the generic (ie. chemical ) name 'Amoxicillin', the pharmicist then dispenses (or should dispense) the cheapest one.

    People have been giving you a hard time over this, I don't agree. You got confused between generic and generic brand but your point still stands that GPs should be prescribing generic all the time. Then the pharmacist should give the cheapest version. It's not for GPs to be keeping track of prices of brands, they can change all the time and are different in different jurisdictions, as are the names. A locum from Oz/Asia might not be familiar with the names used here. Using generic names all the time is by far the most sensible option.


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    #40
    Ihaveanopinion
    Registered Users Posts: 234 ✭✭Ihaveanopinion


    locum-motion wrote: »

    You are at the bottom of a deep hole. Stop digging.

    Hey - I'm just trying to make a point - getting insulting has no part to play in a discussion!

    Define Generic brand- a simple search
    http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=define+generic+brand

    a. Not having a brand name
    b. Of or being a drug sold under or identified by its official nonproprietary or chemical name

    Not to be pedantic - but generic implies the drug name - which as Orly said - is how drugs should be prescribed. The original patented name is what people typically call the 'brand name' but other companies produce their version of the drug under their own brand once the patent expires.


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    #41
    anotherlostie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,722 ✭✭✭anotherlostie


    I seem to remember this being explained to me before when I worked in pharmacy that the computerised programmes used to generate scripts in GPs surgeries could not write up the generic name of the drug (e.g. atenolol) and instead had to choose a branded generic (e.g. Atenomel) which Irish law then insisted on the pharmacy dispensing meaning the pharmacy I worked in kept every brand available even though there would have been no issue with generic substitution in this case. Keeping all those brands, including the ones you didn't ever dispense cost money.

    That was over 10 years ago and it looks like things haven't changed?


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    #42
    smtdos
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭smtdos


    Pharmacists have a business to run, in the case where a drug is written generically on a script, they will dispense the generic that makes them the most profit, not necessarily the cheapest for the customer.


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    #43
    FluffyCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 340 ✭✭FluffyCat


    smtdos wrote: »
    Pharmacists have a business to run, in the case where a drug is written generically on a script, they will dispense the generic that makes them the most profit, not necessarily the cheapest for the customer.

    I work in a pharmacy and have never seen that happen. To be honest there is very little profit anyway.

    The biggest problem is that we have to dispense what is on the script. To dispense otherwise is classed as fraud.

    Also they will dispense what generic product they have. It would be impossible to stock all generic brands and with the recent cuts the branded product may be the cheapest for both the pharmacist and patient to buy


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    #44
    smtdos
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭smtdos


    FluffyCat wrote: »
    I work in a pharmacy and have never seen that happen. To be honest there is very little profit anyway.

    The biggest problem is that we have to dispense what is on the script. To dispense otherwise is classed as fraud.

    Also they will dispense what generic product they have. It would be impossible to stock all generic brands and with the recent cuts the branded product may be the cheapest for both the pharmacist and patient to buy

    Im not suggesting stocking all generic brands as an option but surely the one stocked should be the most profitable.

    Gone are the days of stocking the generic of your favourite/most charming rep, the one with the best bonus is picked.


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    #45
    bleg
    Registered Users Posts: 5,848 ✭✭✭bleg


    smtdos wrote: »
    Im not suggesting stocking all generic brands as an option but surely the one stocked should be the most profitable.

    Gone are the days of stocking the generic of your favourite/most charming rep, the one with the best bonus is picked.



    If that was the case then all pharmacies would have the exact same generic profile... most definitely not the case.


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    #46
    smtdos
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭smtdos


    bleg wrote: »
    If that was the case then all pharmacies would have the exact same generic profile... most definitely not the case.

    I don't agree that pharmacies would end up with the same generic profile if the most profitable generic is stocked.

    All pharmacies have different negotiating power and business acumen (e.g. chains) and hence end up stocking different generics based on deals agreed with reps.


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    #47
    scanlant
    Registered Users Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭scanlant


    smtdos wrote: »
    Disagree. All pharmacies have different negotiating power and business acumen (e.g. chains) and hence end up stocking different generics based on deals agreed with reps.

    Surely, you should agree with bleg on his last point then?


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    #48
    smtdos
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭smtdos


    scanlant wrote: »
    Surely, you should agree with bleg on his last point then?

    All I'm saying is that IMO pharmacies stock the most profitable generic for their business and that this may differ from pharmacy to pharmacy based on deals agreed. Apologies for being unclear with last post.


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    #49
    scanlant
    Registered Users Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭scanlant


    Ihaveanopinion wrote: »
    Hey - I'm just trying to make a point - getting insulting has no part to play in a discussion!

    Define Generic brand- a simple search
    http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=define+generic+brand

    a. Not having a brand name
    b. Of or being a drug sold under or identified by its official nonproprietary or chemical name

    Not to be pedantic - but generic implies the drug name - which as Orly said - is how drugs should be prescribed. The original patented name is what people typically call the 'brand name' but other companies produce their version of the drug under their own brand once the patent expires.

    You still miss the point.

    Many originator medicines are now cheaper than their generic counterparts. That's the point, not the (factually correct btw) tangent you have taken.


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    #50
    scanlant
    Registered Users Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭scanlant


    smtdos wrote: »
    All I'm saying is that IMO pharmacies stock the most profitable generic for their business and that this may differ from pharmacy to pharmacy based on deals agreed. Apologies for being unclear with last post.

    You might want to edit your post then because you disagree with bleg's point then agree with it in the next sentence. :)


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    #51
    smtdos
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭smtdos


    scanlant wrote: »
    You might want to edit your post then because you disagree with bleg's point then agree with it in the next sentence. :)

    Done :o


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    #52
    Frusterlum
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭Frusterlum


    If you believe that,
    1. The prescription charge is a tax on sickness,
    2. The tax ought to be abolished,
    3. A single-issue forum to end the charge will succeed,
    THEN let's do it....


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    #53
    palmcut
    Registered Users Posts: 246 ✭✭palmcut


    The recent budget announced an increase in the medical card co-payment from 50c an item to 1.50 an item. There was also an announcement increasing the DPS payment from 132 to 144 euros.

    To date (24/12/2012) there has not been any confirming letter from the HSE to any of the Health professionals. The HSE has not written to GPs or pharmacists in relation to these price increases which are due to be introduced on 1/1/2013.


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